揟roy, I know棓 I hate that he抯 right.
He laughs loudly again. 揂nd you抮e so modest too. What the hell? I bet if you asked to double your pay, you抎 get it approved in a heartbeat.?
Now it抯 my turn to laugh, even if I feel disembodied. 揅ome on, now you抮e just kissing butt. The pay was great, so it抯 not that. I抦 just…not a good fit. Not for this company…or for him.?
Whoops.
I clamp my lips shut.
I didn抰 mean to say that last part out loud. In the silence, it hangs in the air like an armed grenade, ready to explode.
揇amn shame, Eliza,?Troy says slowly, inching the car forward in the rainy traffic. 揧ou抮e mighty good with both Lancasters.?
揃oth of them??
揟he big man and his princess, yeah. You broke up their old routine and believe me, they needed it,?he says, his eyes fixed on the road.
There抯 that twang of guilt on my heartstrings.
I抦 going to miss that girl so much.
About as much as I抦 trying not to miss her ginormous prick of a father. He抯 too good at giving me all the conflicted feelings in the universe.
揑 hope they抣l be all right,?I whisper. 揇estiny was so upset when those guys knocked her down and took the necklace. I felt awful for her, and I still hate that I could抳e prevented the whole thing. I shouldn抰 have let her walk over to the park alone. Now, she抯 lost another piece of her mom…？
揧ou抮e still worrying about that??His tone hardens, but then he looks over with that easygoing smile. 揑 mean, it was daytime. A lot of folks hang around a crowded caf? She told me all about it. No reason to think she抎 be shoved down and robbed in broad daylight, as shitty as this city gets sometimes. Me, I can抰 wait to get back to Bali.?
I manage a thin smile. 揑 could抳e had her wait to meet me. I shouldn抰 have let her go wandering on her own. Cole trusted me. I just wish I hadn抰 ruined it.?
揝he抯 fifteen years old. Not five.?
True enough, I guess.
Actually, that reminds me…
I start pawing through my purse, double-checking that I have everything I need for my flight. When I see the small black box, I freeze.
揙h. Oh, crap!?I moan.
揥hat抯 up??
I look at him. 揗y friend Wayne makes this amazing jewelry. I had him make a replica of Destiny抯 necklace. It抯 not perfect and it抯 definitely made of cheaper materials, but it抯 good enough to tide her over until she gets something better. I know it can抰 replace Aster抯 necklace, but…I hoped it would give her some comfort.?I slouch in the seat and sigh. 揈xcept, it won抰 now. I forgot to mail it. I know this weather sucks, but do you think you could swing by UPS on the way to the airport? I really want to get this to her.?
I open the box, retrieve the necklace, and hold it up, letting the black onyx turtle dangle from the chain.
We hit another touch-and-go traffic snarl.
Troy looks over as he stomps the brakes and stares, his jaw visibly tightening.
?um, is something wrong??I ask.
揈liza, in my humble opinion, you ought to think twice about mailing that thing,?he says.
Whoa. I抳e never heard this hurt, oddly sad edge in his voice before.
揘o? Why not??It抯 hard to get the words out.
揘ot all memories are good ones, lady. Destiny抯 been through enough shit with her mom and I never wished her any harm棓
揥hat? What do you mean by harm??I ask, confused.
I don抰 understand the weird change in his mood. It抯 just a hamfisted replica of her mom抯 turtle necklace. What抯 the big deal?
He stares at me like he抯 trying to decide if I抦 stupid or cruel.
揝hit, never mind. That came out wrong.?
I cock my head, eyes still on him as he stares at the road. We抮e finally moving again at a five mile per hour crawl.
揑 don抰 follow, Troy. Why would you say you never wished her any harm? It抯 not like you had anything to do with the robbery…？
揃ecause you didn抰 let me finish the sentence, chatterbox. Jesus,?he snaps.
My eyes go wide.
Why do I get the impression I抦 riding with someone very different than Cole抯 goofy sidekick? It抯 like there抯 another side to this silly, almost boyish best friend.
He licks his lips and continues.
揕ook, I just meant there抯 a silver lining to her losing the damn thing I don抰 think you抮e seeing. Have you ever thought that maybe she doesn抰 need to think about her dead mom every day? Does she really need such a morbid trinket swinging from her neck? The funeral was ten years ago.?
揊uneral??Now, I抦 really confused. 揃ut Aster only wore it when she was alive, right? I thought it was the last gift Cole ever gave her. I guess I just don抰 see the harm in棓
揝hut it,?he growls, his eyes flicking over at me and then back at the mess outside. 揝orry. That was rude. It抯 just a goddamned mess out here and I抦 trying to focus. Give me a few.?